Bad oil filter location for '14 Escape 1.6 Eco

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: grampi
1.6 seems like an awfully small engine for an Escape...I bet it's a dog...and a timing belt in this day and age? I thought every make had gone back to timing chains? Come on Ford, get with the program!


You just lost whatever you bet.


I didn't know it was a turbo....still has a dang timing belt though...

 

[supton]

150k is still longer than the 80k on mine.

I see your point though. I too probably wouldn't put up with mine, if it wasn't for the mpg.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: supton
Curb weight of about 3,600lb? 180hp/180tq. Looking up 0-60 tho indicates 8.9 seconds, which doesn't sound too shabby. I guess that makes for a decent base motor.


Base motor is a NA 2.5l with port injection.

Which still isn't bad.

 

[hattaresguy]

In my experience most American cars and trucks have filters in horrible locations.

They bet that the typical owner doesn't care, and the typical oil change place probably just wipes off the old one and sends the car along!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My Taurus had it in a bad location, IIRC. Very easy to burn yourself on the exhaust manifold during an oil change!

My Focus has it in a super easy location! I can actually change it without the car in the air! Same with my Cherokee - that's in an easy location, except it dumps on the starter. I can do an oil change without lifting that .... but that probably had to do more with the fact that it's lifted and has larger tires on it.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
Originally Posted By: Black_Thunder
sucks that they design the engine and then the vehicle instead of them going hand in hand to better arrange things.


I've seen a lot of terrible filter locations.


That is the problem with engine designing, they have to plug into multiple platforms and those are not always know or can be predicted before engine design.

An example was the old GM 2.2L inline 4 push rod engine. Transverse mounted on the old Cavaliers, the oil filter was wedged between the engine and firewall. On the S-10 pickups when the same engine was use in a traditional inline orientation, that same filter location was much more accessible on the RH side.


I had an old S-10 with the 2.2, and while the filter was in a better location, the starter motor set under the exhaust manifold and was surrounded by the crossmember and made it a total PITA to replace. I believe the reason why it went bad to begin with was it cooked itself to death. But yes, different designs can make stuff a real PITA to reach.

 

[artificialist]

The VW 1.8T always had cooling hoses that got in the way of removing the oil filter, so this sort of thing isn't new to me.

The timing belt situation really sucks. What happens when your 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty runs out, and your timing belt breaks before you reach 15 years or 150,000 miles? Who pays? I'm guessing Ford doesn't pay for a single thing at that point.

 

[ChadHargis]

Timing belts have been around a long time. I remember back in the 90's when my Honda Accord and my wife's Civic required a change at 60,000. It was a $1000 job if you paid for it. Substantially less costly if you skinned a few knuckles and did it yourself.

While you're changing the belt, it's a good time to put on a new water pump as well since you've done all the hard work.